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Ignasiak pleads guilty to fraud, drug charges

By LAUREN DELGADO / Daily News

Published: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at 05:57 PM.

PENSACOLA — Freeport physician Robert L Ignasiak pleaded guilty Tuesday to 12 counts of health care fraud, 29 counts of illegally distributing controlled substances and one count of failing to appear for trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The plea comes almost four years after Ignasiak’s first conviction for running a “pill mill,” almost two years after his conviction was overturned and almost a year after he faked his own suicide and disappeared before he was to stand trial again.

He will be sentenced Jan. 14 by Senior U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier. He faces maximum prison sentences of 10 years for health care fraud and 20 years for drug distribution. He also faces 10 years for failing to appear for trial.

Ignasiak, 58, overprescribed hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, diazapam and alprazolam to patients from 2001 to 2005. The dosages, quantities and combinations caused some of his patients at Freeport Medical Clinic to abuse and become addicted to the drugs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Despite evidence patients were stealing drugs, “doctor shopping,” suffering overdoses and not taking the drugs as prescribed, Ignasiak continued to prescribe the medications, the news release said.

Ignasiak was found guilty in November 2009 of 12 counts of health care fraud and 31 counts of illegally distributing controlled substances.

He had served two years of his 24-year sentence when the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned his conviction in January 2012.

The reversal was based on trial testimony provided by Dr. Andrea Minyard, medical examiner for Florida’s 1st Judicial Circuit. Minyard validated that seven of Ignasiak’s patients died of pharmaceutical drug overdoses even though she did not conduct all seven autopsies.

While awaiting the second trial, Ignasiak faked his suicide and ran away, the news release said.

His red Lincoln was found in a remote area of Seagrove Beach in November 2012 with a suicide note and what appeared to be blood.

Ignasiak was found in September in Coral Springs in South Florida handing out leaflets for a pressure washing company using a false name.

PENSACOLA — Freeport physician Robert L Ignasiak pleaded guilty Tuesday to 12 counts of health care fraud, 29 counts of illegally distributing controlled substances and one count of failing to appear for trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The plea comes almost four years after Ignasiak’s first conviction for running a “pill mill,” almost two years after his conviction was overturned and almost a year after he faked his own suicide and disappeared before he was to stand trial again.

He will be sentenced Jan. 14 by Senior U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier. He faces maximum prison sentences of 10 years for health care fraud and 20 years for drug distribution. He also faces 10 years for failing to appear for trial.

Ignasiak, 58, overprescribed hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, diazapam and alprazolam to patients from 2001 to 2005. The dosages, quantities and combinations caused some of his patients at Freeport Medical Clinic to abuse and become addicted to the drugs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Despite evidence patients were stealing drugs, “doctor shopping,” suffering overdoses and not taking the drugs as prescribed, Ignasiak continued to prescribe the medications, the news release said.

Ignasiak was found guilty in November 2009 of 12 counts of health care fraud and 31 counts of illegally distributing controlled substances.

He had served two years of his 24-year sentence when the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned his conviction in January 2012.

The reversal was based on trial testimony provided by Dr. Andrea Minyard, medical examiner for Florida’s 1st Judicial Circuit. Minyard validated that seven of Ignasiak’s patients died of pharmaceutical drug overdoses even though she did not conduct all seven autopsies.

While awaiting the second trial, Ignasiak faked his suicide and ran away, the news release said.

His red Lincoln was found in a remote area of Seagrove Beach in November 2012 with a suicide note and what appeared to be blood.

Ignasiak was found in September in Coral Springs in South Florida handing out leaflets for a pressure washing company using a false name.